Artwork Systems and Enfocus Continue Integration
LONDON—As part of an ongoing effort to optimize organizational efficiencies that will benefit both companies' many thousands of customers worldwide, Artwork Systems announces today that the company is taking significant steps to integrate Enfocus within its research and development, marketing, and operations. In addition to combining headquarters in a new Ghent location by the end of Q1 2006, the companies will substantially strengthen technology sharing to support new, market-driven branding and corresponding development plans.
Both Artwork Systems and Enfocus brands will continue to co-exist. The Artwork Systems brand will focus on packaging and high-end workflow systems, while the Enfocus brand will continue to concentrate on PDF and automation tools.
"Artwork Systems and Enfocus have been offering for some time a full range of technologies graphic arts professionals need to achieve the highest quality, guaranteed production results. Now, by realigning our talent and resources from the inside-out, we're fostering even faster, higher quality engineering and marketing that will benefit our customers the world over," says Guido van der Schueren, Chairman of the Board of Artwork Systems.
In North America, Enfocus will move to the Encino, California location of Artwork Systems' Dimensional Impressions company, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Says Patrick van Dam, Executive Vice President, "Enfocus has been part of the Artwork Systems family for nearly six years, and our working relationship has proven to be symbiotic and productive. This is a welcome next step in our increasingly closer association as colleagues."
A Single Mission Driving 10+ Years of Innovation and Growth
Over the last ten years the Artwork Systems group has continually brought innovative products to market. Since Artwork Systems' acquisition of Enfocus, there has been a continuing technology exchange between the two. Enfocus' new PitStop Automate and the Artwork Systems stand-alone PDF editor, Neo, are the most recent outcomes of this exchange. The company's mission, to deliver the best software in the industry based on open standards and open platforms, remains the same.
Combining Sales & Marketing Strengths
From a sales and marketing point of view, Artwork Systems has built a local geographical presence with a powerful direct sales force. Enfocus has thrived by utilizing a strong marketing drive and an indirect sales channel. The company now aims to optimize these strengths in a combined organization.
As a result of this new strategy, Christian Blaise, French Certified PDF advocate and formerly with Nestlé, was appointed to the position of National Account Manager for Enfocus, based out of the Artwork Systems offices in Ville-Pinte, France. The company achieves similar benefit in other locations across the globe.
A Transition Many Years in the Making
"Unlike other situations we've seen in the industry, bringing Enfocus into the Artwork Systems fold will be easy - not only because we've planned it that way," says van der Schueren, "but because our businesses are so compatible that the pairing is a natural, organic one. We are also happy to say that there will be no reduction in the number of jobs within the group.
"By consolidating our product lines we will be able to concentrate on one goal: delivering superior solutions to our customers and technology partners."
